Pastoral responsibility is my duty of care to myself, my colleagues and my students. My obligation, authority, power, safekeeping and accountability. My duty for the students’ welfare and progress and to deliver safe and supportive environment to get the best out of everyone.
I understand that pastoral responsibility is the core of every successful university with an intelligent, responsible and focused policy centred on personal development and wellbeing where happiness and welfare are prioritised. Success is built on strong inclusive values.
Wellbeing runs parallel with Pastoral responsibility to care for self. Wellbeing has always been paramount to me for a healthy body is a happy person. It can be maintained by healthy and balanced lifestyle, proper diet and exercise, developing mindedness, increasing financial literacy and understanding the importance of sleep.
To maintain and manage my mental health, I have embarked on staff trainings on importance of wellbeing at work , demystifying cognitive Behavioural therapy and Wellbeing. I go to the gym once a week, play the guitar as a hobby to achieve a state of mental wellbeing and stress relief and a positive outlook to life. Wellbeing can be described as the quality of a person’s life.
Students need support especially in this time of COVID-19 and blended learning. Some students are worried the impact of pandemic on their education curriculum, friends and families, finances and mental health. I feel students need more support now than ever.
However, as a teacher, there are ways of impact my wellbeing positively, while teaching it to the students at the same time.
Checking-in on students to name their feelings. As Dan Siegal says “if you name it, you can tame it”. Setting up a mood monitor in class can give students the opportunity to identify how they feel, following up with those students who may need additional support by asking them what they need. Taking breaks and walks to get a drink so they can be ready to engage in the learning. Discussing how I manage my feeling, and then what I do about it. Rogers (1967) argues ” that teachers must strive for ‘realness’ in not claiming more knowledge than they have and being truthful to their identity or emotions, because acting normally encourages honesty and engenders trust and respect’.
Positive timeout- a calming space in the classroom for students to use and teaching how to use the space effectively by using proactive and positive behaviours.
Positive student Voice-providing opportunities for students to air their opinions and problems, solving issues. Giving them the choice in what and how they work making it clear also of their limits and boundaries.
Incorporating wellbeing strategies for students will promote my wellbeing as a teacher and if my health and happiness are increased, so is my effectiveness as teacher directly impacting students’ achievements.
Professional boundaries are set as guidelines, expectations and rules which set the ethical and technical standards in a professional environment and must be clear.
My practice ethos,
I will always ask a student or staff how or what they want to be addressed as, respect my time , be reliable, supportive, encouraging and communicate effectively, not sharing information about a person without their (staff/student) without their permission.